From the PastorNovember 4, 2018The Thirty First Sunday in Ordinary TimeThe Twenty Fourth Sunday After Pentecost

PurgatoryAs every Catholic is aware, the month of November is the month of the Holy Souls when we pray for the faithful departed. And in particular our loved ones who have been called home to God. In fact the Church grants a plenary indulgence to the faithful who visit a cemetery during the first week of November and there pray for the Holy Souls. That is why for today’s column I would like to write on Purgatory.Purgatory (Latin, "purgare", to make clean, to purify) in accordance with Catholic teaching is a place or condition of temporal punishment for those who, departing this life in God's grace, are, not entirely free from venial faults, or have not fully paid the satisfaction due to their transgressions.The faith of the Church concerning purgatory is clearly expressed in the Decree of Union drawn up by the Council of Florence, and in the decree of the Council of Trent which defined: "Whereas the Catholic Church, instructed by the Holy Spirit, has from the Sacred Scriptures and the ancient tradition of the Fathers taught in Councils and very recently in this Ecumenical synod that there is a purgatory, and that the souls therein are helped by the suffrages of the faithful, but principally by the acceptable Sacrifice of the Altar; the Holy Synod enjoins on the Bishops that they diligently endeavor to have the sound doctrine of the Fathers in Councils regarding purgatory everywhere taught and preached, held and believed by the faithful.” Further than this the definitions of the Church do not go, but the tradition of the Fathers and scholars must be consulted to explain the teachings of the councils, and to make clear the belief and the practices of the faithful.That temporal punishment is due to sin, even after the sin itself has been pardoned by God, is clearly the teaching of Scripture. God indeed brought man out of his first disobedience and gave him power to govern all things (Wisdom 10:2), but still condemned him "to eat his bread in the sweat of his brow" until he returned unto dust. God forgave the incredulity of Moses and Aaron, but in punishment kept them from the "land of promise" (Numbers 20:12). The Lord took away the sin of David, but the life of the child was forfeited because David had made God's enemies blaspheme His Holy Name (2 Samuel 12:13-14). In the New Testament as well as in the Old, almsgiving and fasting, and in general penitential acts are the real fruits of repentance (Matthew 3:8; Luke 17:3; 3:3). The whole penitential system of the Church testifies that the voluntary assumption of penitential works has always been part of true repentance and the Council of Trent (Sess. XIV, can. xi) reminds the faithful that God does not always remit the whole punishment due to sin together with the guilt. God requires satisfaction, and will punish sin, and this doctrine involves as its necessary consequence a belief that the sinner failing to do penance in this life may be punished in another world, and so not be cast off eternally from God.All sins are not equal before God, nor dare anyone assert that the daily faults of human frailty will be punished with the same severity that is meted out to serious violation of God's law. On the other hand whosoever comes into God's presence must be perfectly pure for in the strictest sense His "eyes are too pure, to behold evil" (Habakkuk 1:13). For un-repented venial faults for the payment of temporal punishment due to sin at time of death, the Church has always taught the doctrine of purgatory. So deep was this belief ingrained in our common humanity that it was accepted by the Jews, and in at least a shadowy way by the pagans, long before the coming of Christianity.In Origen the doctrine of purgatory is very clear. If a man departs this life with lighter faults, he is condemned to fire which burns away the lighter materials, and prepares the soul for the kingdom of God, where nothing defiled may enter. "For if on the foundation of Christ you have built not only gold and silver and precious stones (1 Corinthians 3); but also wood and hay and stubble, what do you expect when the soul shall be separated from the body? Would you enter into heaven with your wood and hay and stubble and thus defile the kingdom of God; or on account of these hindrances would you remain without and receive no reward for your gold and silver and precious stones? Neither is this just.It remains then that you be committed to the fire which will burn the light materials; for our God to those who can comprehend heavenly things is called a cleansing fire. But this fire consumes not the creature, but what the creature has himself built, wood and hay and stubble. It is manifest that the fire destroys the wood of our transgressions and then returns to us the reward of our great works." (P.G., XIII, col. 445, 448).St. Augustine describes two conditions of men; "some there are who have departed this life, not so bad as to be deemed unworthy of mercy, nor so good as to be entitled to immediate happiness" etc., and in the resurrection he says there will be some who "have gone through these pains, to which the spirits of the dead are liable" (City of God XXI.24). Thus at the close of the fourth century:not only were prayers for the dead found in all the Liturgies, but the Fathers asserted that such practice was from the Apostles themselves;those who were helped by the prayers of the faithful and by the celebration of the Holy Mysteries (Holy Mass) were in a place of purgation;from which when purified they "were admitted unto the Holy Mount of the Lord".It is the traditional faith of Catholics that the souls in purgatory are not separated from the Church, and that the love which is the bond of union between the Church's members should embrace those who have departed this life in God's grace. Hence, since our prayers and our sacrifices can help those who are still waiting in purgatory, the saints have not hesitated to warn us that we have a real duty toward those who are still in purgatorial expiation. Holy Church through the Congregation of Indulgences, 18 December 1885, has bestowed a special blessing on the so-called "heroic act" in virtue of which "a member of the Church militant offers to God for the souls in purgatory all the satisfactory works which he will perform during his lifetime, and also all the suffrages which may accrue to him after his death" (Heroic Act, vol. VII, 292). The practice of devotion to the dead is also consoling to humanity and eminently worthy of a religion which seconds all the purest feelings of the human heart. "Sweet", says Cardinal Wiseman (lecture XI), "is the consolation of the dying man, who, conscious of imperfection, believes that there are others to make intercession for him, when his own time for merit has expired; soothing to the afflicted survivors the thought that they possess powerful means of relieving their friend. In the first moments of grief, this sentiment will often overpower religious prejudice, cast down the unbeliever on his knees beside the remains of his friend and snatch from him an unconscious prayer for rest; it is an impulse of nature which for the moment, aided by the analogies of revealed truth, seizes at once upon this consoling belief. But it is only a flitting and melancholy light, while the Catholic feeling, cheering though with solemn dimness, resembles the unfailing lamp, which the piety of the ancients is said to have hung before the tombs of their dead."PARISH GALA: This year our annual Parish Gala on October 25th commemorated the 50th anniversary of the completion and dedication of the Church building. In 2012 we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the parish which was created by a decree (June 27, 1962) of the first Bishop of Rockville Centre, Bishop Walter P. Kellenberg. However, after a parish is established a church must be built, a residence for the priests, and a place where the truths of our faith may be taught. In 1962 little was known where this place would be. The only thing known was that the parish would be named St. Paul the Apostle. Then through the sacrifice of our parishioners, our noble Church was built and dedicated on May 26, 1968.The Gala was a great success and a very fun filled evening for everyone. May I express sincere gratitude to our Gala Committee: Mrs. Paula Maturo (chair), Mrs. Avril D’Costa, Mrs. Tracy Lynch, and Mrs. Anne Maione. May God reward their dedicated efforts, and may God bless all of you, the dear parishioners and friends of St. Paul the Apostle. We are most grateful to Mr. Butch Yamali and Pam and the entire staff of the Milleridge Inn who have been such good friends to us.FOUNDERS’ DAY: On Sunday November 25rd, the Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King, all parishioners who were of the founding generation of our parish are invited to come to the 11.00AM Mass and to sit in the pie by the Blessed Mother’s Shrine so that they may be recognized, thanked, and receive a special blessing. All parish volunteers are also invited.In Jesus and Mary,Monsignor James F. Pereda

From the Pastor October 28, 2018 The Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time Feast of Christ the King

LustToday we continue with our catechesis on the seven capital sins. Last week we considered the sin of Anger. Today we examine the capital sin of lust.“The vice opposed to the virtue of chastity. Called luxuria in Latin and commonly referred to as impurity in English, lust always indicates an excessive, that is, irrational, attachment to venereal pleasure. Because of the wide variety of vicious acts and habits it causes, Christian tradition classifies it as one of the seven capital sins. The malice of lust is shown in the vices to which it leads: blindness of the mind, rashness, thoughtlessness, inconstancy, self-love, and excessive attachment to the material world. It destroys man’s humanity by subjecting sexual activity not to its proper ends recognized by reason, that is, the procreation of children and the promotion of the mutual love of spouses in marriage, but instead to mere bodily pleasure.” (The Catholic Encyclopedia)

Human sexuality / fertility is a good and powerful drive that God has given to human beings both for the continuation of the human race and the bonding of husband and wife. This gift is never to be exercised in a casual or unloving way. The gift of sexuality, as something which is good, can always be distorted and manipulated in ways clearly not intended by our Creator. Lust is the objectification of and treating / using another human being, not as an end who should be treated with love, but merely as a means for the satisfaction of one’s sexual desire. Typically, lust will be ultimately expressed in acts of fornication and adultery, yet Saint John Paul II shocked many when he said that, “Lust can happen even in marriage.” By this, he meant that even though husband and wife have a “right” to each others’ bodies in the sacrament of marriage, they still can run the risk of selfishly using the other. The following universal statement is a clear differentiation between lust and love; essential to keep in mind, whether outside marriage or within:

Lust takes. Love gives.

One of the worst social and spiritual plagues of our age; a singular exponent of the culture of death, is pornography. Though this “product” has existed in paint and sculpture for millennia, its scope was relatively small until the last half-century. In our modern age of home video and especially the internet, pornographic videos and images have become widely available. It is a $97 billion-a-year industry.

Pornography is NEVER acceptable for a Christian. It dehumanizes the models/actors and those involved in its production; yet it specifically dehumanizes and desensitizes the consumers of such material. It is very intoxicating / addictive, and many studies claim that there is a strong correlation between the (legal) availability and consumption of pornographic material and the rate of rape and other sex crimes. It is a very spiritual sin in the sense that it turns a human subject made in the image and likeness of God into an object. It literally distorts the brain and will warp the whole person who truly becomes a slave of the porn; needing more and more explicit material to stimulate… It kills the soul. (If someone you know has a problem in this area, urge them to get help. This topic will be revisited in the future, and I hope to soon provide helpful literature and websites to combat this vice that can get hold of any of us.)

We all need to monitor what we view and read as best as possible (many popular network television programs and magazines are borderline soft-porn), because once it enters us, it is very tough to get it out. It is the taking of something beautiful and intimate and perverting it. If “custody of the eyes” is not practiced, the entertaining of impure thoughts will follow, and will likely lead to increased impure desires, resulting in actions. It is a slippery slope, and we are fools if any of us believe we are exempt from its power

The antidote to lust is chastity, in mind and body. It is not prudery, but an attitude of sexual uprightness - a profound respect for one’s self and the “otherness” of the other; and the refusal to objectify another, whether within or outside marriage. The goal is purity, but not restricted to that which is proper to the state of virginity. Purity is for everyone. It is a fruit of the Holy Spirit that will bring freedom and peace to marriages and families. It helps us to truly love.

A Grace Filled Week At St. Paul’s

Last Thursday (the 25th) was our annual Gala/Casino Night. This annual event is always fun-filled and so enjoyable for our parishioners. It is also a major fund raiser for our parish. As I write this the Gala is still in the future, but I am sure it will be a great success. Next week I will write about it and acknowledge all those whose devotion and self-sacrifice brought us a beautiful evening.

Please remember that Thursday of this week is November 1st, the Solemnity of All Saints and a Holyday of Obligation. The schedule of Masses is listed in this week’s bulletin. Friday, November 2nd is All Souls day. It is a day when we pray for our beloved deceased and visit the cemeteries. Mass will be in the Chapel at 8AM. Exposition and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament will begin at 12 noon and conclude with a Holy Hour led by Deacon Ray at 7PM. The whole day will be brought to its conclusion with Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament at 8PM on Friday.

On Saturday November 3rd at 9AM we will have our annual Mass for the Faithful Departed in the Church. Please make every effort to attend. At this mass we pray particularly for all those who have died during the past year.St. Agnes Medal

Sincere congratulations to Mrs. Toni Poolin upon whom Bishop Barres conferred the Medal of St. Agnes on Sunday, October 28, 2018.A Blessed All Saints Day and All Souls Day to all.

SAVE THE DATE: On Sunday, November 25th all our parish volunteers and founding members will be recognized and blessed at the 11.000 Mass with a reception to follow. Please be sure to attend that Mass and receive a blessing. It is the Sunday after Thanksgiving and the Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King.

From the PastorOctober 21, 2018The Twenty Ninth Sunday in Ordinary TimeTwenty Second Sunday after Pentecost

AngerAll of us experience feelings of anger from time to time; sometimes often. In animals (including humans) this biological response serves the useful purpose of preservation and protection. Such emotions can be brought on by many different occasions and experiences of danger or hostility; or when we experience or perceive an injury or injustice to have occurred to ourselves or others.Objectively, anger is not necessarily grievous or sinful. True righteous anger can be justifiable and even morally laudable and virtuous; as when our Lord drove the money changers out of the temple (cf. Mark 11:15). What we do with the emotion / feeling makes all the difference. Of this third deadly or capital sin, St. Thomas Aquinas clearly states that it is “The unreasonable desire for vengeance.” “Among humans, anger is usually considered as capable of having an ethical rating inasmuch as it can lead to vengeful actions that are disproportionate to the injury suffered or simply unlawful, e.g., murdering a man for an insulting remark. From this point of view an excessive experience of wrath, the misguided discharge of vengeance, or the objectionable damage done in rage to persons or property could result in sins that would be seriously opposed to charity and justice.” (Catholic Encyclopedia)So much of the goodness God wills us to have in this world is suppressed because too many of His children harbor resentments, grudges, and the desire to get revenge at those who have hurt them. When one allows these thoughts to control them and to plot how they might actually carry out this revenge, they are guilty of the sin of anger. And it will surely destroy the angry person. The sin of anger is spiritually and emotionally blinding and damages our relationship / communication with God and each other.Forgiveness (and letting go) is the answer. Jesus preached and lived it, again and again. Forgiveness heals relationships and puts the Devil to flight. Forgiveness says, “Let’s interrupt the cycle of violence and hatred; block it, stop it.” Fight anger with forgiveness. That is what Jesus did on the cross. Make real, concrete steps to heal broken relationships. They will not heal by themselves; by ignoring them. Active forgiveness is absolutely necessary.St. Francis of Paola (1416-1507) gave some very good advice for how we should live in God’s sight:“Fix your minds, then, on the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. Inflamed with love for us, He came down from heaven to redeem us. For our sake He endured every torment of body and soul and shrank from no bodily pain. He gave us an example of perfect patience and love. We, then, are to be patient in adversity.“Put aside your hatred and animosity. Take pains to refrain from sharp words. If they escape your lips, do not be ashamed to let your lips produce the remedy, since they have caused the wounds. Pardon one another so that later on you will not remember the injury. The recollection of an injury is itself wrong. It adds to our anger, nurtures our sin and hates what is good. It is a rusty arrow and a poison for the soul. It puts all virtue to flight. It is like a worm in the mind: it confuses our speech and tears to shreds our petitions to God. It is foreign to charity: it remains planted in the soul like a nail. It is wickedness that never sleeps, sin that never fails. It is indeed a daily death.“Be peace-loving. Peace is a precious treasure to be sought with great zeal. You are well aware that our sins arouse God’s anger. You must change your life, therefore, so that God in His mercy will pardon you. What we conceal from men is known to God. Be converted, then, with a sincere heart. Live your life that you may receive the blessing of the Lord. Then the peace of God our Father will be with you always.”Very often anger will be extinguished when we realistically realize that when we have been offended (wounded pride) by another, in 99% of cases, it was not deliberate. It was a misunderstanding. Anger leads to arguing which the devil loves. Nothing was ever solved by an argument. It only leads to greater sins. Let our souls be ordered and then everything else in life will fall into place.PARISH GALA DINNER/DANCE AND CASINO NIGHT: Please save the date of Thursday, October 25th. That will be our annual Parish Gala Dinner/Dance and Casino Night. Once again, we will have the casino night provided by the M&M Twins (my good friends, Marco and Michael Posillico). This proved to be so enjoyable for the last two years and was a great success. May I ask and invite all parishioners to attend this wonderful evening at the newly refurbished Cottage of the Milleridge Inn. Mr. Butch Yamali, the new owner of the Milleridge Inn, last year invited me to go there to bless this new endeavor. I was accompanied by the Chair of the Gala Mrs. Paula Maturo and by committee member Mrs. Anne Maione. I entered every room of the Inn to bless it and sprinkle the Holy Water in all the shops, the cottage and carriage house. It is remarkable how this historic inn is being restored to its original splendor. Mr. Yamali is a good friend to us at St. Paul’s and I would encourage everyone to come that night and to see the refurbished Inn. It is our major fundraiser through the course of the year. This year we observe the 50th anniversary of the dedication of the Church Building (May 26, 1968). We look forward to our renovation which will begin after Christmas and to a beautiful future.